BIOCONVERSION OF WASTEWATER INTO POLYHYDROXYBUTYRATE (PHB) USING BACTERIA

• Grant number: 22/13580-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: February 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Elen Aquino Perpetuo
• Grantee: Ana Luiza Moraes Octaviano
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The increase in the presence of conventional plastics in recent years has been notorious, due to the creation of a variety of products allied to the development and comfort of human civilization. Thus, there were serious concerns about plastic due to its disposal and its non-biodegradable property, generating environmental contamination, toxicity to the ecosystem and human health. Because of this, in recent years, alternatives have been explored to replace petroleum-based plastics with materials obtained from natural sources, such as bioplastics in the form of polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) - which are suitable for their biodegradability and biocompatible properties. From this setting, this project aims to produce these polyesters through the natural synthesis of bacteria coupled in an effluent bioremediation process. To promote the proper activity of microorganisms, the organic matter used will be vinasse and glycerol, which in addition to being important sources of carbon, are industrial waste. In this way, the project's methodology will rely on the use of bacteria present in ethanol residue (vinasse) capable of bioconverting waste into PHB, using vinasse itself and biodiesel residue (crude glycerol) to bioconvert these effluents into bioplastic of sustainable, ecological and economic way. Therefore, we intend to investigate in more detail the action of bacteria in the bioremediation of these residues, together with the production and characterization of the generated PHB.